Excel Student Center

As we look back over this past year we are grateful for the relationships developed. We have made many changes and enjoyed many successes. 30 aspiring models and actors were chosen for individual mentorships in celebration of our 30th year. One in honor of every year Excel has been in buisiness. There are many things on the horizon for this great group of people ranging in age from 6 to 60! Congratulations to our actors that were chosen to attend the LA Actors showcase this past year. You represented Arkansas well, and we are excited about the call backs that you receied and the opportunities to relocate to Los Angeles.

So far for 2017, we already have three models booked for the European Model Showcase in Paris for May! We are gearing up for another great weekend with award winning Feature Film/Commercial Director, Tom Logan.

To learn more about the opportunities to come email me at melissa@excel-mt.com.

Love you all. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us. We enjoy having you in our lives.

God Bless You! We hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In celebration of thirty years in business our owner and founder, Melissa Moody will be choosing thirty models and actors to do private classes with her personally. Two mentorship students are already on their way to the Universal Studios Actors Showcase in LA where they will be seen and interviewed by some of the top agents in Los Angeles! Three of Excel's beautiful Fashion Models are on their way to Paris in May to attend prestigious European Model Show case to be seen by top European Agents that can kickstart their careers!

​Something wonderful is always happening at EXCEL!!!

If you are interested in furthering your education with a one on one mentorship with Melissa in a beginning or advanced level class or be considered for a showcase for 2016 0r 2017 then email Melissa at melissa@excel-mt.com!

Have a great day and with the birth of spring and all things new....give thought to those dreams you've been holding onto. Time to let them bloom!!! Let's start watering and nurturing those now!

Below you will find lots of posts!!! ALL FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE SO LOVED!! Also I want to be able to call you again in the future and therefore you must read, absorb, follow directions, and print it all off for your notebooks to bring to your personal evaluations.

But YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK!!!! ANYTHING THIS WONDERFUL AND WORTH HAVING IS WORTH WORKING HARD FOR!!!

Well it's past midnight and I have been here all day working. I will be keeping my grandsons this weekend but I will take the show notebook home with me.

Email your questions AFTER READING EVERYTHING!!!! at melissa@excel-mt.com and see if you can give my phone a rest. Monday is plenty of time to sort out issues, add and switch people so be calm and enjoy your weekend but study and get your fittings set up!

You are asked to comment on every post but only after reading it. I'm proud of all of you and am sending love, peace , and prayers your way as you embark on this exciting experience.

By the way. If you see people in two stores it is not because I like them better! Its because I need their sizes or I know their experience level and how fast they can change. So no hurt feelings about that. It is NOT AT ALL PERSONAL!!! It is always for professional reasons.

Nite. Im going home and go to bed!! Then I'm gonna PLAY all weekend with two of my favorite people in the world ! Sorry you have to work hard now!!

Name three items every model should have in his/her model’s bag that will help them protect the clothing they are wearing.

____________________________________________________________.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Explain what you should do with tags on clothing and accessories you are

modeling in a show.

3. What should you say if you do not like an outfit or it is not a great color for you?

4. What should you do the minute a show is over?

5. Always arrive __________ minutes early for a fitting, show, or modeling job.

6. Explain good telephone etiquette when calling to make a fitting appointment.

7. Write a brief example of a thank you note that you would write to an employer After a show they hired you to be in**(Use another sheet of paper).

8. Explain what a “Who’s-Who” notebook is and why it is an important businesstool for you. .

9. Always take your _____________________________________ and ________________with you on all professional assignments.

10. TRUE OR FALSE (Circle One)

Learn to gear your thoughts toward TOTAL PROFESSIONALISM, because dealing with employers in a courteous, respectful and professional manner will turn a job here and there into a full rewarding career.

11. Consider all the topics we have covered so far. Is there anything you do not understand or that you would like to have help with?

¨ Tearoom?

¨ Runway?

¨ Self Talk?

¨ Body Language?

¨ Conversational Skills?

¨ Types of Modeling?

¨ Preparing a “PHOTO FILE”?

****We will try to address these questions in your personal evaluations.

14. Of all the forms of modeling you have read about, which four appeal to you the most and why?

1.

2.

3.

4.

15. List eight things you should remember when having a conversation with a new person you just met.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

16. List six things to work on in your speech.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

17. Name five mannerisms that can be distracting, in not corrected.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5

18. When invited to a business or social function; list three things that you should find out before you go.

1.

2.

3.

19. List five combination turns that you have learned on the runway.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

**Extra Credit:Describe what your posture should be on the runway.

**Comments:Please list any comments you may have, concerning the classes you have attended so far.

**On a personal note:Would you be interested in attending a Bible Study with other EXCEL Students, including topics such as:¨ What does it mean to be a Child of the King?¨ How to pray “Prayers that Avail Much”¨ How to have faith that overcomes!

_____ YES, please let me know the times. ______ No thank you.

Please print this off, answer the questions about fittings,rehearsals,shows,and professional etiquette and leave the others blank. Put in your notebook and bring with you to the show to be accepted.

Pay attention! Do not chat with friends. For professional jobs-you are getting paid, so act like it! Talking during rehearsal is rude and unprofessional.

When you are not in a scene, sit down somewhere and watch. Your director may ask you to do the same thing in the next scene and if you were not listening, you will be lost.

Be where you are supposed to be, so things will run smoothly.

Take a note card and pen to take notes on choreography; who you follow onto the runway, who you walk with, which side of the stage you enter and exit, time to arrive, and any last minute changes or instructions.

Rehearse your parts in the show mentally several times before the actual show, to help you remember the choreography.

Rehearsal is a good place to make notes on the people you meet.

RUNWAY SHOWS...THE DAY!!!

When you get to a show, immediately find the lineup, line your clothes up in the order that you are to wear them, line up your shoes and accessories.

Clip off any tags that may show and put them in baggies on the proper hangers, so that the merchants will not have to make new tags.

Unzip or unbutton the garments.

Never sit, eat, drink, or smoke in the merchant’s garments.

Be dressed in your first outfit, at least 20 minutes before show time.

The second you are off the stage, start unbuttoning and running to get into your next outfit.

USE YOUR ZIP HOOD!

The minute you are dressed in your next outfit, get in line! It is much better to be early than to miss your cue!

Always find out who your dresser is as soon as you arrive (if they provide one!), and go over the line up with him/her to make sure he/she is aware of any quick changes you may have. This will prepare him/her to give you the assistance you need.

Be yourself and have fun!

When the show is over, clean up after yourself, hang up all your garments, and return the tags and accessories to their proper bags.

Thank the director and merchant for having you in the show, and give them a thank-you note.

Remember that the phone call you make to set up your fitting appointment is a part of your professional etiquette and the person you are talking with is evaluating your professionalism and personality!

Think about what you are going to say before you call. Know the name of the person you need to talk to. Introduce yourself as a model from Excel and you need to set up an appointment for your fitting. Do so at a time that is convenient for THEM. They are not required to work around YOUR schedule. Use a bright, upbeat, friendly voice and be quick to answer them in a friendly manner. When they give yu a time….say….”That will be great! I look forward to meeting you and modeling for your store!” Sound happy and like you mean it!!**Coordinators have a right to see the clothes, as if they were in a show, so…

Come to the fittings with your face and hair fixed, and dressed neatly. For professional jobs, you are being paid for most fittings, so you have to produce!

Be on time!

Cooperate with the coordinator. Never mention if you do or do not like the garment, unless asked. (Never tell them that you do not like the garment).”I will be happy to wear this if this is what you want to show!”

For fittings and shows have with you: a head scarf or a zip hood, long and short half slips, strapless bra, basic seasonal shoes wardrobe, dress shields and clear anti-perspirant, if necessary. NEVER WEAR COLOGNE!!!!

Never step out of a garment with your shoes on.

Never sit, eat, drink, or smoke in a merchant’s garment.

ABSOLUTELY NO GUM!!!

ALSO YOUR MOTHER CANNOT HAVE AN OPINION. YOU ARE MODELING NOT SHOPPING!!!

IF YOU ARE TOLD YOU CAN PICK YOUR OWN OUTFIT DO IT VERY QUICKLY!!!!

Never pull a garment over your head, without using a zip hood.

Hang clothes, after fitting in each garment.

Take a note card and pen, to write down accessories and show information.

When you come out of the dressing room, model the outfit as if you were on the runway, in front of a camera, etc...for the merchant.

Clip tags and place in separate baggies each piece of clothing and use a black sharpie to label the bags.

Ask the Merchant…​(At this show there will be no directions given to you by the store. In this case it will be me so don't ask this info for this show. )

1. Which garment did you choose for me to wear in the show, out of the ones I tried on? (Write a brief description of each and leave a space for notes).2. What accessories, what color shoes, what color hose, would you like me to wear with each of these outfits?3. Will there be a make-up artist and hair stylist or should I do my own?4. What time should I arrive for the rehearsal and show?

DON’T FORGET TO BE GRATEFUL!!!!Find out the names of everyone that helped you so you can write them a thank you note!!

**Thank the merchant and leave quickly, so he/she can get to the next model. Always change as quickly as possible during a fitting, so the fitters can stay on schedule. Never leave a mess in the dressing room. Always pick up after yourself!

​READ ALL OF THIS CAREFULLY AND COMMENT BELOW ON HOW YOUR FITTING WENT FOR THE SHOW!!!

“For such a time as this…” The story of Esther in the Bible is brief and often overlooked. Yet time and time again the Lord has brought this story to my attention. Esther was a beautiful young woman, an orphan who was placed in a very strategic position by God that eventually saved a nation. Her outer beauty attracted a king. Her inner beauty made him love her and her integrity and excellence made him listen to her. At a pivotal moment when the fate of her people lay before her, Esther was faced with a decision that could have cost her her life. But a wise uncle pointed out a very simple revelation – “Who knows if God has brought you to this place for such a time as this?”

How odd for this little orphaned Jewish girl to find such favor with a king; to be crowned queen and have the influence to save her people! God granted her beauty for a reason. With it came responsibility. An empty, hungry world is searching for God. The eyes of our nation are attracted to beauty just as the king. In the age of the supermodel and superstar, he gave you gifts of beauty and talent and he brought you here!

When the shutter snaps to capture your image in print or the camera zooms in for your monologue, the world is captured by your gift. But what will they see beyond the gift? Will they see a young man or woman of honor and integrity such as Esther, willing to place their position and glory on the line to save a nation?

It’s no mistake that you are here. God has an awesome plan for your life. Who knows, perhaps he’s brought you here for such a time as this!!“Who knows but God has brought you here for such a time as this…” Esther 4:14

Read thoroughly, print out and post a comment about something you learned. Put copy in your notebook. ALL MODELS IN THE SHOW MUST READ AND COMMENT ON THIS!!!!

​PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE

It is to your benefit to learn and practice of proper business etiquette early in your career as a model. The field of modeling is extremely competitive and you will find that your most important asset, as a model, is not your appearance, but your REPUTATION. I cannot stress enough, the great value of learning to deal with your employers with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. Beautiful women and men are a “dime a dozen”, yet well-trained, courteous, organized and prepared PROFESSIONAL MODELS are rare!

**Below are listed examples of ways to achieve this kind of professionalism.

1. Keep an up-to-date day timer or calendar, in which you will promptly write down any information about jobs.2. Always call your employer a day or two before the job to confirm date, time, and other important information.3. Always arrive at least 10 minutes early for fittings, rehearsals, or shows. This will allow you to get your things organized by the appointed time. NEVER rush in late or at the last minute unprepared!4. Purchase a Zip Hood and USE IT! A zip hood is a light weight hood with a zipper that a model wears over his/her head, when changing to protect the garment from make-up, hair spray, etc… (Zip hoods may be purchased at any Sally’s Beauty Supply Store). Never get make-up on the clothes and leave it for the merchant to discover. Show it to the merchant, apologize, and offer to pay to have it cleaned.5. Purchase a set of dress shields and USE THEM! Dress shields are used by men and women when modeling, to protect the garments from perspiration. They can be purchased through JC Penney’s catalog or store, at Cloth World or Hancock Fabrics.6. All models should use clear, roll-on antiperspirant. White stick deodorants can be messy!7. Careful handling of tags, extra buttons, jewelry, accessories and accessory cards is essential! If a tag cannot be tucked out of sight, carefully clip all exposed tags and place them in a clear plastic bag and hang the baggie over the rack. Be certain to get the outfits back on the proper rack. Also, be sure to return all earrings to the cards they came on, etc…8. Do not sit down in an outfit once you have it on, because it will wrinkle.9. Always return garments to hangers, or fold them neatly in the bags in which they were brought. They should be returned to the merchant in the same manner in which you received them, or better!10. Never throw an outfit on the floor! If you are in the rush of the fashion show, hand it to your dresser or lay it on top of the rack, until you have time to hang it up!11. The minute a show, photo shoot, or fitting is over, hang up your clothes and CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!12. Never step into an outfit with your shoes on.13. Always thank the merchants for asking you to model, and express interest in working for them in the future.14. Always write a thank-you note to the merchants and the show’s director, and give it to them after the show.15. Do not wear heavy perfume or cologne.

16. Do not be too talkative with store employees or the person who hired you. Be friendly and personable, but do not get to chummy- as this can be interpreted as chumming up just to get work. This is in very poor taste.17. When appropriate, invoice the employer within one week of the job. This is appreciated by the bookkeeper, and will also insure prompt payment for you.18. Put a short, personal note on your invoice, expressing gratitude for the job, and expressing a desire to work with them again in the future.19. If you are not supposed to bill them, write a thank-you note to give to them the day you work.20. When doing a photo shoot, never step on the photographer’s seamless paper backdrop without wiping your feet. Tread lightly! Those backdrops are very expensive!21. If you have to call an employer on the phone, be sure to identify yourself, the particular show or job you are referring too, and the reason you are calling. Be friendly, brief, and to the point. SPEAK UP! If you tend to be shy and unsure of what to say, write down what you might say, and practice a time or two before you call.

**Learn to gear your thoughts toward total professionalism. Dealing in a courteous, respectfulmanner will turn an ordinary job here and there into a full, rewarding career. Each of you has aresponsibility to all EXCEL students as a whole, to uphold the good reputation that we have all worked so hard to build. All it takes is one student lacking in professional etiquette, to hurt the reputation of the entire group. That is a big responsibility, but I have confidence in each of you!

REMEMBER! YOUR REPUTATION IS YOUR GREATEST ASSET!!

***SMART TIP***

Always take your updated portfolio, updated resume, and your composite cards or laser copies with you on all professional assignments. This adds professional polish to your

**Learn to gear your thoughts toward total professionalism. Dealing in a courteous, respectfulmanner will turn an ordinary job here and there into a full, rewarding career. Each of you has aresponsibility to all EXCEL students as a whole, to uphold the good reputation that we have all worked so hard to build. All it takes is one student lacking in professional etiquette, to hurt the reputation of the entire group. That is a big responsibility, but I have confidence in each of you!

REMEMBER! YOUR REPUTATION IS YOUR GREATEST ASSET!!

Keep a “Who’s Who” notebook! At rehearsals and fittings, write down everyone’s name and position, with a short description of appearance and personality to help you remember who they are. Successful businessmen and women learn early on, that it is smart business sense to call business associates by name and be aware of who does exactly what!

I understand that I am reponsible for the care and return of all garments listed below. Any repair, replacement or cleaning will be at my expense.___________________________________________________________Signature of Student Date___________________________________________________________________Signature of Parent or Guardian (if model is under 21) Date

MERCHANDISE RECORD (Merchant use only!)

Description of Merchandise:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stock Numbers:

Price:

NOTICE to merchants and models: EXCEL assumes no responsibility for merchandise listed above.

Post a comment below stating your name , what class you took and when and that you have made a copy of this.